Just now, when speculation is rife as to the opening of the Shanghai-Woosung Railway, it is well to give a few details concerning its position and progress and it was with that object that one of our representatives sought out and had a pleasant chat on Wednesday with one of the principal cials of the Imperial Chinese Railway ration. As we announced some three months ago it was intended to open the line for all kinds of traffic at the commencement of this month and the fact that the undertaking will not be completed for six weeks or so is due entirely to breach of contract on the part of the Belgian firm entrusted with the manufacture and delivery of the rails and sleepers. Messrs. Cockerill, the contractors in question, undertook to deliver the whole of the rails, sleepers, fastenings, etc., not Inter than March last, but asa matter of fact they only arrived some three weeks ago. Hence the delay. Phe permanent way, stations and necessary appurtenances have been finished long ago, locomotives and passenger and freight cars have been in readiness and everything awaiting the arrival of the rails. It will thus be seen what an expense, and an unnecessary expense, has been incurred in consequence. The work, however, is now being pushed on rapidly and large gangs of coolies under the supervision of skilled Europeans are working from early morn to dewy eve constructing the road. Commencing at the Woosung end, something ike two English miles has been laid and it is confidently expected that the line will be ready for trafic towards the end of August. Considerable difficulty is ocean sioned through the entire ignorance of the native workmen in the matter of plate-laying. In fact, hardly one in a thousand has ever seen a railway and everything has to be shown them. Then again numbers of them after working a fow days discharge themselves, with the result that fresh Tabourers have. to be employed and the work of instruction begun over again, Our readers will thus see what a contract for railway building means in this darksome land. When it is finished, however, there can be no doubt that it will be a great factor in the promotion of Tocal commerce, in that a running plan has been mapped out showing ten passenger trains per day, either way, in addition to luggage trains.' The locomotives are of the heavy American tank-type, manufactured by Messrs, Brooks, of Dunkirk, N. Y., whilst the cars and trucks, the former well fitted up and upholstered, have been made at the Railway Works in Tientsin where the much-talked-of "Royal train" of the irrepressible Empress Dowager was conceived. A responsible staff has been engaged, the locomotive department being under the control of Herr Richter, who has secured the services of native engine-drivers formerly employed on the diminutive Faye Railway near Hankow. As all now ventures, and especially new in this ease, generally involve heavy outlays through lack of knowledge of the local conditions, our representative endeavoured to elicit what would be the cost per mile as compared. with European lines of a like character; but our informant was unable to speak with any show of definiteness. The cost of the land in the first place he was unaware of, but speaking generally he thought it would prove to be much cheaper than any home undertaking of the kind, owing to the fact that labour and such native materials as have been.used are. very much cheaper here.. He was also unable to express an opinion als to the working cost per mile as compared with published statistics, but anticipated highly satisfactory returns from the passenger traffic. It would naturally take time to dislodge the goods traffic from the river, but in the end he thought they might safely count upon a big revenue under this head, owing to the rates being lower than lighterage dues and the delivery more expeditious. No effort is to be spared to make the line a success and we might add that plans have already been drawn up for comprehensive extensions. There is undoubtedly plenty of scope for railway enterprise in China and now that it has found favour in the eyes of the Government the entire opening up of this strange country should bea thing of the comparatively near future.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.